Become a Vocalise Mentor

Applications to become a Vocalise mentor will be open in the September 2020. 

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply to become a Vocalise mentor you must be either:

• a student studying the GDL, the BPTC, or law as a final year undergraduate or masters student
• a current member of Gray’s Inn who has completed either the GDL or the BPTC in the past year and not secured pupillage

You do not have to be a member of an Inn to apply for Vocalise, but if accepted, you must join an Inn no later than boot camp in order to particpate. Vocalise cannot send you into prisons to teach unless you are member of an Inn. 

Time commitments

Throughout the Michaelmas (Autumn) term, mentors must commit to attending lessons at Gray's Inn. Each lesson is two hours long, and there are eight lessons. Lessons can be taken on either Tuesday or Wednesday evenings. After these lessons are completed, mentors must pass 'boot camp', a half-day practical exam which ensures mentors are fit to teach in prisons.

After passing boot camp, mentors must commit to at least eight half-days of teaching, by way of two separate ‘teaching cycles’ of four weekly lessons. This might mean, for instance, that a mentor signs up to teach one morning lesson a week in Pentonville during February, followed by one afternoon session a week in Downview during April. These two cycles represent a minimum teaching commitment. We encourage mentors to sign up for further sessions if they wish to do so.

Please note that all teaching takes place during working hours.

Please contact Vocalise if you require further information.